


Headlines

by cantkeepupwithmyfeels



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Journalist AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-23
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2017-12-27 11:13:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/978154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cantkeepupwithmyfeels/pseuds/cantkeepupwithmyfeels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony has been working for the Avenger as an investigative reporter for the better part of his life and has been obsessed with a story since it first came in seven years ago. Calling in a favor from an old college buddy, he is finally able to track down the subject of his obsession. Robert "Bruce" Banner, the Hulk himself.</p><p> </p><p>Summary is crap but what summary isn't?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Favor

**Author's Note:**

> So, I watched Zodiac for the first time over the Summer when this idea hit me. I swear it's better than the Summary.

When people asked Nick Fury what he did for a living, one day he'd like to be able to say that he ran a serious news paper, #1 seller in New York City. However, looking around the news room as watching his employees were gathered around Barton's desk, watching and placing bets on whether or not he or Thor would make a balled up copy of last week's issue of  _The Avenger_ into the waste basket on the other side of the room (and if the growing crease in the taller man's forehead was anything to go by, Clint was beating him seven ways to Sunday), the editor realized that he was nothing more than a ring master of a three ringed circus. Counting the bodies in the room,it was a three ring circus that was currently missing their main drunken clown. He scrubbed his hand over his face, fully convinced the only reason he was bald was the fact that he had been dealing with these idiots for the past decade (some of them longer). 

"I don't think I need to remind you idiots that this is supposed to be a legitimate news paper," He said, his deep, commanding voice cutting through the sound of cheers, all eight pairs of eyes landing on the ex-military commander. "Not some school yard bullshit. Where's Stark?" 

The aforementioned circus members eyed each other, daring one another to speak in their coworker's defense until finally, Natasha spoke up.

"He said he got a lead on the Laufeyson-Chitari Scandal, grabbed a doughnut and took off." The Russian woman said, removing herself from her perch on Barton's desk, who looked less than happy to loose his good luck charm, as she sauntered over to the taller man, grabbing a file off of Stark's desk as she passed. Natasha was a pretty redhead that could get most any information with just a bat of her hazel eyes and was Stark's unofficial babysitter. "Dropped this before he left."

"If this was going to tell us where the hell he went, he wouldn't of left it here."

"Now see, this is why you're the editor and we're just the flying monkey's that do your bidding."

Speak of the devil.

All eyes were suddenly trained on the short man in an Armani suit that he shouldn't be able to afford on meager salary and salt 'n pepper hair. It was no secret that Tony Stark came from old money, but it was also no secret that the handsome man was caught off from his fortune at eighteen when he decided to start working in journalism. In just a few short years the man became an extremely successful investigative reporter and a regular pain in Fury's ass. He glided over to the desk, tossing another file to Fury. "Too easy. Laufeyson was being black mailed by Chitari. Boooorrrrinnng." He said, dragging out the word. "Give me a challenge." His brown eyes sparkled in a way that made even Natasha grow wary. "Like the Banner story."

The entire room simultaneously groaned. Ever since the destruction of Harlem over a year ago, Tony has been trying to get on the story. Problem was, not only was it Natasha's story, but Banner had disappeared without a trace, not that the man could be blamed. He was as wanted and feared as the monster he had chased through out the city. Apparently he was trying to recreate a serum that was supposed to blah, blah, blah, not listening, yatta, yatta, yatta. Well, that's what Tony remembered anyhow.  It was a guy that could turn into a giant green rage monster, that alone was enough to peak the man's interest. 

"You know as well as the rest of us that the Banner story is a dead end." Nick said, crossing his arms, vaguely wondering what on Earth had made him give this mad man a chance on his paper all those years ago. "If Natasha can't manage to find a lead, what makes you think you can, Stark?" He asked, almost regretting doing so. Nearly two decades with the man should have taught him better than to challenge the brunette. Especially as that tell-tale smirk worked it's way on the reporter's features. 

"No offense, Red, but I have a better sniffer." He said, treading through dangerous waters as he teased his Russian coworker that in all honesty could probably kick his ass without batting an eye lash. "I am willing to bet my career that I can close this story in say, six months." He said and paused. "You know what, make it five." He said, leaning against his desk, a safe distance away from Natasha. Before the red head could tear Tony a new one, Nick held up his hand.

"You know what, fine." Fury said. "Either way the story closes and I get rid of him for a while. You've got five months, Stark. Don't fuck it up."

 

* * *

 

 

Later that night, Tony walked into his Brooklyn apartment, tossing the keys onto the end table and walking around the bits of scrap metal that littered the ground from one of his bursts of genius. The small, one bedroom apartment was a far cry from the mansion that he grew up in during his childhood and in truth, the genius still wasn't used to it even after nearly ten years of living in it, his first ten after being disowned being spent in between his best friend's house, college, and an entourage of girlfriends's houses. The apartment itself was crowded with tools, scrap metal, and little trinkets covering the table and floors, along with invention plans. He never could leave his love for engineering, not really anyway. "Hey, Jarvis." He greeted the grey, almost blue cat that weaved in and out of his legs as he raided his fridge. After deeming the Chinese food edible, he fed Jarvis and went into the living room that was flooding with boxes of files concerning one subject and one subject only. Robert "Bruce" Banner. Fury underestimated the journalist's obsession with this story. He had read the reports. The man should have died from that much gamma radiation, instead he landed with the personification of anger. Why?

Tony sat cross legged on his 1970's shag carpet, food in one hand, file in the over and cat in his lap. There was something he was missing here, but what? There had been no reports of the 'Hulk', as the genius had fondly nicknamed him when he first shown up seven years ago, since Harlem, leading the genius to believe that been must have exceptional self-control. So, really what was the point of hunting him down when Jolly Green on came out when aggravated? Glancing at his phone, he was tempted to call in a favor from an old friend who was currently in the military, training pilots. At the least he could con Rhodey into telling him Banner's last known location. After about three hours of going through long memorized files and double checking his facts he gave up and dialed his friend's number.

"Rhodey, hey. Well aware of the time before you ask. Look I'm on a story and-"

"No, Tony." The man on the other line said, voice still groggy from being woken up from a deep sleep.

"You don't even know-"

"You were going to ask me to release top secret information that could cost me my job,  _at best,_ so you could feed your obsession at completing every impossible story you start."

"Alright, so you do know." Tony said, getting up to make yet another pot of coffee. "But think of it this way, we both keep our mouths shut, neither of us go to jail or a nonexistent military holding facility that I don't know about."

James 'Rhodey' Rhodes sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. He really needed to get new friends. He got up to make his own coffee, vaguely wondering what he had done in a past life to deserve this and once again apologized for it. Not that it would make any difference to any universal entity, invisible or other wise.  "What is it this time?" 

"Bruce Banner, I need you to-"

"Oh hell no, this again?" Rhodey scrubbed a hand over his face. "Give it up already man, this can't be healthy." He paused a moment to think about what he just said and  _who_ he was talking to. "Scratch that, it's not healthy, it way beyond unhealthy."

"James."

"Oh no, don't you dare, don't you use that voice."

"What voice, this is my normal voice."

"No," Rhodey replied, setting his mug down. "That's your 'this is really important to me and I'm an asshole but I'm your best friend so please do this for me' voice. I can practically  _see_  the puppy dog eyes. Not going to work this time Anthony Stark."

"Fine." Tony huffed a dramatic sigh. "I'll just hack into-"

"Haiti!" Rhodey said, stopping a more than likely detailed description of how the brunette would hack into one or more government agencies to find and obtain illegal information. "We lost him in Haiti."


	2. The Curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhodey once again questions his life choices and we get a look into the daily life of Bruce Banner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so I finally decided to continue this I apologize for taking so long buuuuuuut life is crazy and I didn't entirely plan this out. So I'm basically winging the rest of this story. Obviously I've tweaked somethings and there will be quite a few of inaccuracies due to the nature of this story and me trying to remember things.

      James Rhodes often wondered if he could pinpoint the exact moment his life started to spiral into this mess that he called everyday and he always got the same answer; the day he met Anthony Edward Stark. Now, don't get him wrong. He would do anything for Tony. However, when he first told the genius this he did not image that he would take it literary. In retrospect, this was his own fault. Because he should have known that he would one day be going through his superior's office, trying to find absolutely  _any thing_ he could on how to contact General Ross all so Stark could finish this damn story all while calculating just how much jail time he could get if someone caught him. All he could say was if he was going down, so was Tony and with that face of his, Stark wouldn't last five minutes in prison. 

"Ha!" He grinned finding what he needed. He pocketed it quickly and turned, standing at attention as he watched the door knob turn. Well shit.

A few hours later Tony answered the knock (pounding) at his door only to have a piece of paper slammed into his chest as his friend pushed past him declaring "Never again!" For maybe the twelfth thousand time since the younger man started working for the Avenger. "Why can't you have a normal job like regular spoiled rich kids trying to piss off their parents?" Rhodey muttered, grabbing a beer from the fridge.

"Because I would get bored and we'd end up here anyway." Tony said unfolding the paper. "General Ross..."

"If you want information on Banner, he is your go to guy." Rhodey said, sipping his beer and making a face and setting it on the counter. "I'm bringing you whiskey next time I come over. Anyway, he's kinda a dick but he funded the experiment that caused him to go green."

"Logan already dropped some off. Help yourself, second cupboard to the right. You deserve it." He said tucking the paper away into a file with a grin.

"Damn right I do..." he grumbled grabbing a couple of glasses and the decent sized bottle of whiskey. He raised an eyebrow at the reporter. "Why is Howlette bringing you whisky anyway?"

"Don't worry about it." He winked, smirking as he poured their drinks. Rhodey sighed and grabbed his glass and downing it. He needed better friends.

* * *

 

Bruce wasn't sure what was more of a comfort lately, the solitude of silence or the noise that came with helping people around the village. Silence, while at times relaxed him, allowed unwanted memories to surface. Thoughts of Betty, his mother, his father... And the  _voices._ Not just of the Other Guy, no. His voice was almost,  _almost_ , welcomed compared to the constant screaming that went on his head, the word 'monster' pounding in his ears over and over again. 

But with the torture of silence, there was also the fear of the interactions the good doctor made everyday, never knowing when or where he might have his next attack. Yes, he was able to control it for the past few years, but that hadn't been an easy feat. He still lived in constant fear and despite the Other Guy's protest of 'Hulk not hurt kids' (where he picked up the name 'Hulk' Bruce could only imagine), he wasn't exactly reassured. 

Regardless, Bruce still woke up every morning, sleeping on a bed that consisted of hay and an wool blanket a patient's family had given him as payment back in Nepal. He ate a small, bland breakfast, of which depended on where he was staying at the time. He stayed long enough to learn the langue or as long as he was needed as a doctor, whichever came first, before moving on to a different part of the country or out of it entirely.

Before the incident, he could say he never thought of this sort of thing often, just how many people were suffering in the world, still dying from things as simple as the common cold. Thinking back, he disgusted himself, at least the person he was when he was alone, or with General Ross or even how he was when he was trying to impress Betty but when he was with her... _that_ was who he strived to be, and to a point, he felt like he was making progress. So he continued to use the medical skills he had and had picked up along the way to helped the over looked while he continued use his skills in science to help himself try to find his cure. Not that he always had the best results or that he didn't end up in some pretty low states of mind. He _would_ find a cure, he  _had to_ find a cure. Until then he continued to carry his curse, he dealt with the nightmares and the voices. For now he coped with the Other Guy, doing his best not to stress himself out, not to provoke his next attack.  Of course he would move before too much attention could be drawn to himself and rarely went by his full name, sometimes even begrudgingly calling himself Robert. He was wanted by the most powerful military in the world after all. Not that he thought that anyone was looking for him. Not anymore at least. 

* * *

Rhodey wasn't kidding when he said that General Ross was a dick. Tony (to a point) understood the whole protective-father-who-doesn't-want-to-dig-up-old-skeletons thing but kicking him off the base was a bit much. Okay, so  _maybe_ he crossed a  _small_ line by talking to some of the soldiers that knew Banner personally without his permission. And talking to his daughter was probably not a good idea (though it proved to be a useful endeavor, she was more than happy to talk about Banner).

"Who let you're ugly mug out here?!" A familiar voice shouted and Tony turned towards the gate, a grin forming on his lips. 

"The same person that let you leave the house without a paper bag, Barnes." He said, clasping the other man's hand in a firm shake. Bucky snorted, shaking his head. 

"What are you doing here, Stark, working on a story?"

"It take your boyfriend telling you that for to figure that out?" 

Bucky rolled his eyes, holding up a small stack of envelopes, each with stamps from various parts of the world. "And here I was actually going to be helpful. Oh well, I'll just go and give these back to Doctor Ross..." He mused and laughed when Tony snatched them from his prosthetic. It was an interesting piece of machinery, experimental at that and developed by Tony's father. Bucky had gotten into an accident during his first tour, costing him his left arm. At the same time, Stark Industries had been running a program to try and help wounded soldiers back into battle. The first thing Bucky did when he was released from the hospital was getting Steve to sign him up for it.  Admittedly, there were a few bugs and sometimes he would have to go either to Stark Industries or even Tony to get some maintenance done on it or he would do it himself, being pretty handy with a tool box and quick to learn. However, thanks to his bionic arm, James Buchanan Barnes was still able to serve in active duty. A great man Howard Stark maybe but a good father he was not. "She left a note in there. She would prefer them back in one piece and trust me if their not, she'll rip you a new one. "

Tony raised his hand in thanks. "Tell her they will be returned in mint condition. Thanks Barnes and tell Doctor Ross the same." He said before heading to his car. That night, Tony came home and feed his Jarvis, ate some left over pizza and went through his notes he had made during the day at the base. He listened to the messages on his machine. Two from Rhodey, one from his wife and Tony's good friend Pepper, three from Natasha letting him know she would bring over more info on the case she found in her home office, one from Fury reminding him he had just over four months left and one from Betty Ross.

_"Hi, uh, Tony? Barnes gave me your number and said he gave you the letters."_ Her voice rang through the room on the machine as he got himself a glass of whiskey and petted Jarvis.  _"Those are all I've heard from Bruce and they've stopped coming about a year ago. I want to talk more...I want to help you find him...maybe bring him home...Uh, my personal number is in the note, maybe we can make a time to meet and talk more sometime this week? Call me after you read them, sorry I need to go. Goodbye."_ The tell tale  _bleeeep_ signaled the end of the message and Tony sat down at the kitchen table with his drink and the letters.

"Back to work..."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short guys but its what I got for right now. I will try to update soon.


End file.
